Combination headrest and backrest in a beach or lawn chair



Oct. 5, 1948. CQLLINS 2,450,783

COMBINATION HEADREST AND BACKREST IN A BEACH 0R LAWN CHAIR Filed June 6, 1945 Y 40mm? w/msss; Q/fiks UNlTED STATES PATENT OFFICE COMBINATION HEADR-EST AND BACKREST IN A BEACH OR LAWN CHAIR Henry Hill Collins, Bryn Mawr, Pa. Application June 6, 1945, Serial No. 597,867

6 Claims.

The object of my invention is to provide a chair, for use on beaches and lawns, the back and seat of which are both adjustable to different positions and in which all the structural elements are capable of being folded into positions of substantial parallelism, so that it is convertible into a nearly two-dimensional structure, which may therefore be easily carried by hand in transporting it to and from the place of intended use.

Preferred embodiments of the invention are shown in the drawings, wherein- Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the chair with the parts thereof assembled and adjusted to one position.

Fig. 2 is a side view of the chair, with the head rest removed, with the parts approximating folded position.

Fig. 3 is a vertical section through the detachable head rest. I

Fig. 4 is a similar view of a modified construction of head rest.

Fi 5 is a cross-section through Fig; 4 on the line 5-5.

The back-rest comprises a series of upwardly extending, spaced-apart slats a which, at their lower ends, are secured to a cross-bar b and, near, but below, their upper ends, are secured together by a cross-bar k. The ends of crossbar b are pivotally connected with the side bars c, c of the seat of the chair. The side bars 0 near their front ends are secured together by a cross-bar d. Legs e are pivoted to the side bars 0 immediately back of the cross-bar d. The rear ends of the side bars have short feet 1. The side bars are also connected, near their front ends, by a cross-rod g and, near their rear ends (back of cross-bar b) by a cross-rod h. A flexible seat cover 2, of any suitable fabric, extends between the cross-rods g and h, the ends of the never being secured to these rods.

Pivotally secured to the ends of the crossbar k are arms m, which serve as legs supporting the back-rest. The lower ends of these arms are secured together by a cross-rod n. A flexible connection 0, preferably a strip of suitable fabric,

is at opposite ends wound about the rods h and n and limits the angular movement of the arms m and thus limits the angle of inclination of the back rest. The arms m may be swung to any smaller angle than that shown in Fig. l to allow the back-rest to assume a more nearly vertical position if desired.

The head rest shown in Figs. 1 and 3 comprises a series of cross-wise extending spaced-apart slats p secured together by side plates r. The

2 lower ends of these side-plates are connected by two relatively narrow slats or cross-bars s spaced apart a distance not materially greater than the thickness of the slats a. Thereby the head-rest may be slipped into engagement with the backrest. When so engaged the lower of the four cross-wise slats p of the head-rest rests against the upper ends of the slats a and thus the backrest and head-rest are held in rigid relation.

Fig. 2 is a side view of the chair in process of being folded. It is clear that when the folding operation is complete all the parts will be in approximately the same plane. Before folding, the head rest is removed, and after folding the head rest may be deposited on the back-rest in a horizontal position. Thus all the parts of the chair will lie fiat one upon or within another and the length will be no greater than the length of the back-rest, thereby making it compact for shipping and providing a nearly two-dimensional structure which may be easily carried.

In Figs. 4 and 5 is shown a modified head-rest. Side plates t are connected together at or near the top by a cross-rod u and near the bottom by two pairs of slats or cross-bars v, w, which, like the slats s of Figs. 1 and 3, are spaced apart and adapted to slidably engage the upper ends of the slats a of the back-rest. Between the side plates is stretched a cover :0 preferably of fabric, against which the head is adapted to rest.

What I claim and desire to protect by Letters Patent is:

l. A chair comprising a back-rest the backrest comprising upwardly extending spaced-apart slats, and a separate head-rest; the head-rest comprising side members and a pair of crossbars extending between and on opposite sides of the side members, the head rest being adapted to engage the back-rest by positioning the crossbars on opposite sides of the back-rest slats and sliding the head-rest downward, stop means on the back-rest and the head-rest for limiting the downward movement of the head-rest and means above the cross-bar adapted to engage the backrest slats.

2. A chair and head-rest as defined in claim 1 in which the head-rest comprises also a cross slat, connecting said side members, above and spaced from said cross-bars and which is adapted to rest upon the upper ends of the back rest, slats when the head-rest is slid into position onthe back-rest.

3. A chair and head-rest as defined in claim .1-

beyond the side members, while the side members are adapted to be seated between adjacent backrest slats.

4. A chair and head-rest as defined in claim 1 in which the head-rest comprises also a cross slat, connecting said side members, above and spaced from said cross-bars and which is adapted to rest upon the upper ends of the back-rest slats when the head-rest is slid into position on the back rest, and a sheet of flexible material extending between the side members of the head-rest.

5. A chair and head-rest as defined in claim 1 in which the head-rest comprises a, second pair of cross-bars spaced from the pair 'of cross-bars specified and extending between and on opposite sides of the side members of the head-rest, and a sheet of flexible material extending between said side members.

6. A chair having a back-rest provided. with a i cross-bar below the upper end of the back-rest and a separate head-rest, the head-rest comprising side members and a pair of cross-bars extending between and on opposite sides of the REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 87,543 Churchill Mar. 9, 1869 1,963,708 Marvin June 19, 1934 FOREIGN i. PATENTS Number Country Date 191,650 GreatBritain. Jan. 18, 1923 375,564 Great Britain June 30 1932 

